US plans prompt Iran to improve relations with Azerbaijan – Baku paper

Ayna, Baku
16 Nov 04

Text of Sumarinli report by Azerbaijani newspaper Ayna on 16 November
headlined “The US threat brings Iran and Azerbaijan closer” and
subheaded “Tehran’s objective is to eliminate the possibility of
Americans using Azerbaijan’s territory against Iran”

The US choice of Iran as the next target after Iraq has prompted
Tehran to review its foreign policy priorities. Experts reckon that
this is the reason behind Iran’s efforts at rebuilding bilateral
relations with neighbouring countries. This mainly means resolving the
existing problems with Azerbaijan and Turkey and turning the two
countries into Iran’s partners in the resolution of certain issues.

Azerbaijan is regarded as the main transit country for US strikes
against Tehran. Recent reports in local and Western mass media about
stationing mobile American forces in Azerbaijan were bound to irritate
Tehran.

Some experts do not rule out that Iran may soon display a “warmer
attitude” to Azerbaijan regarding the Karabakh issue. This probably is
the only way for Iran to turn Azerbaijan into its ally. However,
nobody has any doubts about the longevity of such an “attitude”.

There was a telephone conversation between Iranian President Sayyid
Mohammad Khatami and his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev last
week [on 13 November]. Khatami congratulated Aliyev on the holiday of
Ramadan [Id al-Fitr], the president’s press service has
reported. Bilateral relations have thrived in recent years in all
spheres, the sides noted during the meeting. The presidents described
the existing political dialogue between the countries as satisfactory
and said that effective steps were taken to implement economic
projects.

The visit of Khatami to Baku has given “strong” impetus to
Azerbaijan-Iran relations, Aliyev said. Khatami, in turn, confirmed
that he invites Aliyev to pay an official visit to Iran. Khatami hoped
that the visit will take place soon and congratulated Aliyev on the
opening of the Azerbaijani consulate in Tabriz. Aliyev thanked Khatami
and the sides discussed some other topics of mutual interest.

On the next day [14 November], Lt-Gen Elcin Quliyev, head of
Azerbaijan’s State Border Service, received the Iranian ambassador to
Azerbaijan, Afshar Soleymani. IRNA news agency reports that the
ambassador informed Quliyev of Tehran’s willingness to expand
cooperation with Azerbaijan in border regions. Soleymani advocated
facilitation of Iranian and Azeri nationals’ movement through the two
countries’ borders, the agency said. “We welcome any activity which
suits the interests of both countries,” Soleymani said. He also
thanked the Azerbaijani State Border Service for preventing smuggling
to Iran.

In turn, Quliyev said that Baku is ready to expand border cooperation
with Iran. During the conversation the sides touched on illegal border
crossings and smuggling.